After passing through a dark, profound passageway of stone walls, blinding sunlight suddenly poured down, causing Xiao Yan's eyes to instinctively flutter slightly. A moment later, once his vision adjusted to the light, he slowly opened his eyes, and the bustling, vibrant sounds began to fill his ears. Upon opening them, a vast internal city came into view. Standing at the city's wall entrance, Xiao Yan looked up at the numerous, elegantly designed shops lining the streets and the constant flow of pedestrians, marveling at the scene. Indeed, it was no surprise that this was the largest city in the eastern province of the Jia Ma Empire—its volume of people and level of prosperity were surely comparable to the Black Rock City he had seen previously. Standing on the street, Xiao Yan rubbed his ears, which had grown slightly sore from the sudden commotion, and a visible weariness shimmered in his eyes as he gently massaged his temples, turning to smile at Hai Bo Dong, "We've been traveling nonstop for two days now. Let's find a place to rest a while, and while we're at it, let's also gather some information about the Mo Family." "Agreed," Hai Bo Dong nodded slightly. Though having reached the Duke of Battle rank meant he had far greater stamina than ordinary people, the constant flight and travel over the past two days had drained a significant amount of his qi. Resting, therefore, was something he naturally welcomed. Seeing Hai Bo Dong agree, Xiao Yan smiled and stepped forward, then moved slowly through the crowd, following the flow of people. As he walked along, the numerous, intricate shops around him seemed overwhelming, prompting a slight sense of wonder in Xiao Yan. After completing a full street walk, he pursed his lips and chuckled lightly, saying, "I've counted—there are a total of one hundred and three shops on this street, and seventy-four of them have the character 'Mò' inscribed on their shop signs. They always claim the Mò family is the dominant local power in Yancheng. It seems their claim is indeed well-founded." "The Mò family has certainly grown stronger over time. When I first came here, there were actually several powerful factions in Yancheng capable of challenging them." Hai Bo Dong glanced around the surroundings and nodded in agreement. "Then the Yunlan Sect truly has such influence? A family that wasn't particularly dominant before, now thriving so remarkably after relying on their support?" Xiao Yan rubbed his chin, frowning slightly. "The Cloud岚 Sect's surface strength isn't particularly formidable, but its underlying influence is extremely formidable. You should know that over the years, countless strong individuals have emerged from within the Cloud岚 Sect, spreading across various regions of the Gamma Empire, some even extending beyond its borders. The networks they've established are deeply connected to the Cloud岚 Sect—indeed, you could liken them to offshoot branches of the Cloud岚 Sect itself. Imagine, if one day the Cloud岚 Sect were to gather all these powerful individuals and their established networks—what an overwhelming force that would create! At that point, even the royal family of the Gamma Empire, with an elder sage at its helm, might only be able to stand on the sidelines." Hai Bo Dong's face, rarely seen in such a serious expression, grew solemn as he spoke softly. "That does sound quite formidable..." Hearing this, Xiao Yan exhaled gently and murmured. "I don't know what grievances you have with Yunlan Sect, but considering how we've known each other, I'd like to remind you: whenever possible, avoid them. That hive of theirs—don't touch it lightly." Hai Bo Dong paused thoughtfully and offered the advice. "Moreover, if they truly intend to bother me relentlessly—like wasps—then... I'll make them understand that I Xiao Yan isn't made of clay. As long as they dare come, I'll dare to kill them. I'm still young, with plenty of time ahead. While my current Power of Duke might not be enough to overthrow Yunlan Sect, I'll strive toward the Power of Master. If that fails, then I'll aim for the Power of Saint—perhaps even the Power of Emperor!" The quiet words that suddenly reached Hai Bo Dong caused him to pause, his face filled with astonishment as he gazed at the steadily firm, resolute, and fierce features of the elegant young man. After a long moment, a thought unexpectedly surfaced, prompting him to sigh with a mixture of helplessness and amusement: "Perhaps this time, Yunlan Sect has inadvertently stirred up a particularly wild wasp." "Oh, by the way, could you tell me who the elder of the Royal Family of the Jima Empire that Sea Master mentioned earlier was?" Xiao Yan suddenly asked with a hint of curiosity. "An old monster, a true ancient spirit—when you have the chance, go to the Imperial Capital and meet him yourself. He's the guardian of the Royal Family of the Jima Empire, and his strength is absolutely terrifying. It's been so many years since we last saw him—I'm not sure how much stronger he's become." Hai Bo Dong stroked his beard, his expression slightly reserved, then chuckled warmly after a pause. "Back then, he also fought against Queen Medusa, but he did better than I did—he managed to hold his own and ended up drawing her off, coming out unscathed." As the two walked through the luxurious hotel, they glanced around and were slightly surprised to find that several people were already seated in the main hall, listening intently. After listening to their conversations, Xiao Yan realized that these guests were all those who had come from afar to celebrate the birthday of the Master of the Mo Family. Xiao Yan smiled lightly, idly playing with a hanging ornament on the counter, and spoke lazily. Upon hearing this, the attendant's face went stiff—this was the first time anyone had dared to criticize the Mo family in Yancheng. She found herself unable to smile or remain serious, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Crack!" Seeing the attendant's awkward expression, Xiao Yan grew bored and turned to leave. Yet suddenly, a dark figure swung fiercely from the side, landing with a crisp "crack" on the counter. "What humble person are you? Daring to criticize our Mo family's dominance in Yancheng?" The woman's cold laugh followed immediately, rising from Xiao Yan's left. Hearing the unmistakable tone of those typically impetuous young women, Xiao Yan's eyes flashed with mild impatience, and he turned to gaze at the group of people standing not far away. These people clearly appeared quite young. Leading the group was a red-dressed woman with a full, well-proportioned figure—her curves accentuated just right, quite alluring. Her long, slender, snow-white legs were bare from the thigh down, revealed by a leather skirt that reached just above her knees. Several men in the hall were casting glances at these legs, their eyes often glistening with desire. As the whip was about to reach Xiao Yan's body, a strange surge of azure flame suddenly erupted, radiating intense heat that not only incinerated the whip completely but also a delicate stream of azure flame violently shot toward the red-robed woman. The moment the azure flame appeared, the temperature in the hall instantly rose. Since the hall was not filled with particularly knowledgeable or experienced guests, everyone gasped in astonishment upon seeing the azure flame: "True flame?!" A slender thread of azure flame, amid their collective gasps, shot straight toward the red-robed woman's face. Given the situation, if it struck her, even if the woman miraculously escaped death, her beautiful face would surely be ruined. Her eyes filled with fear as she stared at the azure flame rapidly expanding within her field of vision. Though she desperately tried to dodge, her own strength made it impossible to avoid it. Thus, she remained rooted in place, helpless as the azure flame surged toward her. As the azure flame was about to strike the red-robed woman, a shadow suddenly darted in from outside, seizing the woman firmly. With a sudden burst of motion, the figure deflected the flame, narrowly avoiding it. The azure flame, now missing its target, struck instead the jade rock sculpture that had stood just behind where the red-robed woman had previously been, instantly transforming into a pool of liquid under the stunned gazes of all present. "Hmph..." Everyone in the hall gasped at the sheer terror of the flame, their eyes immediately turning to the black-robed youth at the counter, who remained calm and composed. "Young sir, please hold off!" A middle-aged man stepped forward from one corner of the hall, behind him stood the red-robed woman, her face pale. Clearly, the one who had rescued her was this man. Gazing quietly at the middle-aged man standing at a distance, unwilling to take another step forward, Xiao Yan slightly turned his head and slowly extended his long, elegant hand from his black robe. A streak of emerald flame once again danced playfully along his fingertip. "Brother, it was Linglin who was overly impetuous earlier. For the sake of my Mohist family, I kindly ask you not to have a confrontation with her." The middle-aged man, whose strength was at the level of a Battle Master, stared in growing apprehension at the emerald flame dancing on Xiao Yan's fingertip, bowing politely. "Hmph... Mohist?" With a slight flick of his lips, Xiao Yan glanced at the man, coldly remarking, "Just manage your own people. Don't think that because the Mohist family has Yunlan Sect backing them, you can act with complete impunity. Who knows—sometime soon, you might find yourself facing someone you shouldn't have." The young man's cold laugh echoed throughout the hall. Everyone was momentarily stunned by his bold words, glancing at the terrifying azure flame in Xiao Yan's fingers, then turning to look at Hai Bo Dong, standing behind him with a composed expression and saying nothing—clearly silent and detached. All of them wisely chose to remain silent. It was remarkable that such a young person could wield such a powerful azure flame. If Hai Bo Dong hadn't been supported by a truly formidable force behind him, no one would have believed it. And if, indeed, the strength behind him was of that caliber, then Xiao Yan's earlier remarks were far from empty boasts. "Ah, yes, young sir, you're absolutely right. I'll certainly have the headmaster give Ling Lin a good reprimand upon returning home," the middle-aged man said, clearly not one to be easily rattled. Instead, he offered a polite smile. Gazing at the middle-aged man, Xiao Yan's eyes shifted to the graceful red-robed woman behind him. Noticing Xiao Yan's gaze, the woman—who had previously been proud and self-assured—immediately turned pale, her head pressing tightly against the middle-aged man's shoulder, fearing that the terrifying shade of blue flame might strike again. Her once-confident demeanor now revealed no trace of arrogance. "Pausing slightly, Xiao Yan turned his head to gaze at the seasoned middle-aged man, who was known for his smooth handling of affairs. He locked eyes with Hai Bo Dong, exchanged no formalities, and then turned to walk toward the staircase, his voice calm and straightforward: 'Lead the way!' Around the young woman, a group of previously startled youths quickly stepped forward to offer reassurance. Though spirited and somewhat impetuous, the red-robed girl was, after all, a daughter of the gentry. After a while, she steadied herself, now clearly more composed—though her smile still carried a touch of hesitation. Still, a beauty is a beauty, and no matter what, the men around her would inevitably hold her in high regard. "Linglin, that fellow earlier was truly unbearable. Don't worry—tomorrow I'll certainly find someone to stand up for you," the youths, now all eager, expressed their courage and determination before the beauty. "Heh, Linglin, why are you crying so pitifully? Is there anyone in Yancheng who dares to offend you?" As the youths around the red-robed girl each proclaimed their bravery, a clear, resonant laugh—like that of an ancient, ethereal bell—suddenly drifted in from outside the gate. A laughter light as a deep-mountain ancient bell, drifting into the hall, made every heart tremble, and soon everyone’s gaze swiftly turned toward the grand entrance. Shortly after the woman’s gentle laughter, a refined moon-white gown appeared slowly into view. As men in the hall watched her gracefully advancing toward the entrance, their breaths momentarily halted—curiosity swiftly gave way to astonishment. Wearing a flowing, fitted, floor-length moon-white robe with broad sleeves, she was adorned with a delicate silver sash cinched around her slender waist, perfectly accentuating her graceful figure. Her hands were as soft as young shoots, her skin as smooth as fresh jade; her delicate features, with fine brows and a poised smile, exuded a quiet, ethereal grace. Though her smile appeared gentle and tender, it carried an air of serene detachment, as if subtly repelling those who approached. On the delicate lobes of her ears hung a pair of jade pendants, their gentle chime like a moving melody composed by mountain springs and rocky outcrops. This newly arrived woman in moon-white robes, in both grace and appearance, far surpassed the red-robed lady—standing side by side, she left the latter feeling distinctly self-conscious. Within the hall, a stream of intense gazes swept over the woman’s flawless, slender figure; yet when their eyes fell upon the silver long sword shaped like a cloud, embroidered along the broad sleeves, the fervor in their gaze instantly cooled, as though doused with a sudden flood of cool water, their eyes now drifting with a quiet sense of reverence. The red-robed lady stared in surprise at the graceful, smiling woman advancing through the entrance, then, after a moment of stillness, hurried over, her voice bright and cheerful: "Nalan sister, you've also come?"